Wynn Resorts to sell property in Boston for $1.7bn

Wynn Resorts to sell property in Boston for $1.7bn
Image: Courtesy of Wynn Resorts

Wynn Resorts has agreed to sell all of the land and real estate assets of Encore Boston Harbor to Realty Income for $1.70 billion in a sale-leaseback transaction.

The transaction is Realty Income’s first acquisition in the gaming industry. Wynn Resorts will continue to operate the property.

Simultaneous with the closing of the transaction, Wynn Resorts will enter into a triple-net lease agreement for Encore Boston Harbor with Realty Income.

The lease will have an initial total annual rent of $100.0 million and an initial term of 30 years, with one thirty-year tenant renewal option. Rent under the lease will escalate at 1.75% for the first ten years of the lease and the greater of 1.75% and the CPI increase during the prior year (capped at 2.50%) over the remainder of the lease term.

Encore Boston Harbor is a luxury resort with 671 hotel rooms, an ultra-premium spa, specialty shopping, 16 dining and lounge venues, state-of-the-art ballroom and meeting spaces, a six-acre public park and Harborwalk.

Wynn will retain its 13-acre developable land assemblage on the east side of Broadway in Everett, MA, on a portion of which, the company plans to construct an expansion that is expected to include additional covered parking along with other non-gaming amenities. The company has secured an option to sell the related land and real estate assets of such expansion to Realty Income for up to $20 million of additional rent, at a specified cap rate, for up to six years following the closing of the transaction.

The transaction is expected to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2022.

“Encore Boston Harbor is the premier gaming resort on the East Coast and the valuation we achieved in this sale reflects the property’s quality,” said Craig Billings, CEO of Wynn Resorts. “Equally important, the bespoke structure and terms of the lease allow us to maintain a great deal of operating flexibility across economic cycles. The proceeds of the transaction also provide us with liquidity for several of our upcoming development projects and the potential to retire other debt.”